Knee Arthroscopy

No personal experience, but doesn't sound good.
Have you tried using icepacks?
Otherwise I would say go to your GP and ask for advice.

Yes, I am using bags of frozen peas which give some relief but as soon as I stop the pain and swelling is still there. I'd hoped it would get better day-by-day but there's no change at all.

I've been trying to call my GP surgery for the last hour but they are not answering at all. I know they have a physio in attendance some days so hoping I might be able to see her.

One is not normally allowed to drive 4 days after this surgery. I was able to walk normally with some but not a lot of pain . I think that you need somebody to look at your knee because you should have a 90 degree bend.

It was the anaesthestist told me I would be able to drive in four days subject to any restrictions placed by my car insurers but the way this feels right now four weeks is sounding ambitious.

How long did it take you to get back to normal? I'm starting to think now that I would have been better to live with the pain of the meniscus tear, that surgical intervention has caused more problems than it solved.

Just got through to my GP surgery which, I'm told, no long offers physio so that avenue has been closed off but they are going to get the duty GP to call me later.

I was told not to drive for 2 weeks after surgery. I could walk, with a stick, within 24 hours - a bit of pain and walking was slow, but everything worked OK. I was told to walk every day, gradually increasing the distance. Going up and down stairs was difficult and quite painful. What you're describing doesn't sound good, so I hope you get some help from your GP. Good luck and please come back and let us know how you get on

It is a few years ago now but I had to have my meniscus removed because my knee was giving way.

Apart from some pain I was 100% immediately afterwards. I went to physio and I drove there although I was not supposed to do so. I think that within a month I was back to normal.

Keep the talk with your GP short and factual- he/she will appreciate that and you will get a better outcome if he knows the problem. It is Friday so he may suggest your local A&E.

I've had an arthroscopy op on both knees and, apart from some initial discomfort, I was back up and moving around almost immediately and driving within a few days. The difference it made to my reduction in pain levels, and ease of mobility, was immense and I'm gutted that this operation has been put on the list of surgical procedures that are being cut from the NHS.

Thank you. I've now had a call from the hospital physio who said this could be quite normal, that some people can and do take longer to heal. I can go back there to see someone if I want to. She's talking to someone about that and is going to call me back.

I think it's the lumpiness below the knee crease that is bothering me most. It just doesn't feel right as if something was moved during the procedure and has been left out of place.

I think that you should be seen by the hospital physio, it will put your mind at rest if she says it will longer to heal but there is nothing major wrong with it at present.

Things are starting to happen. The physio I saw last week has made an appointment for me to go in next Thursday to see her line manager who is the senior physio which sounds like that are taking my concerns seriously. Fingers crossed all I will need is some reassurance that this is all perfectly normal.

I had a knee arthroscopy a couple of years ago and it seemed to take forever to recover. In the end I asked my Gp to refer me to a physio which he did and I went from 80 degree bend to 120 in a couple of weeks. I'm waiting for a knee replacement and have a big problem with swelling behind the knee and being unable to bend it at the mo and what I have found is a knee cryo cuff with cooler, it's not cheap about 90 quid but it's wonderful. It's working well on the swelling and pain. I wish I knew about it before and I could have saved myself so much pain.

www.amazon.co.uk/Aircast-Knee-Cryo-Cooler-Medium/dp/B004CM2J4C/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&keywords=knee+cryo+cuff&tag=gransnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1530888093&sr=1-1

That's very useful FlexibleFriend. Applying a bag frozen peas is giving me some relief but not that practical. I'm in a frame of mind at the moment where I wish I had not had this done. The meniscus tear was painful but at least I could walk. Sounds like the recovery is going to take much longer than I had been lead to believe. £90 isn't cheap but sounds like it could be worth every penny. Thank you and hope you get a date for your own operation very soon.

LiltingLyrics I have just had a knee replacement done and my physio has told me not to apply a frozen bag of anything for longer than 10 minutes. I can do it several times a day but not for eg half an hour at a time and I doubt if the rules would be any different for your surgery. Good luck.

Thank you. My instruction sheet tells me to do an hour at a time of cold therapy. Ten minutes on, ten minute off, ten minutes on, ten minutes off and so on for an hour and then repeat every four hours. The ice gives relief, numbness I suppose but the knee re-swells almost as soon as I've removed the bag. I'm getting desperate now for some pain relief and to be able to sleep so I've ordered the cryo device and shall see what happens.

That is good- you are only doing 10 minutes at a time.

maybe get stronger painkillers from your GP on Monday?

A couple of phone calls since this morning. One with the hospital who have made an appointment for me to see the physio next Thursday to take a look at it. Then my GP called. Her main concern was that this isn't DVT.

Painkillers are a bit tricky for me. I have IBD which is slightly flaring at the moment so I am advised not to use non-steroid anti-inflammatories or codeine which leaves paracetamol, 1000mg every six hours.

The great thing about the cryo cuff is you do get all the usual warnings but as the water contains ice but isn't a block of ice you don't get freezer burn. You just rotate the icy water through the cuff. I bought it on Amazon thinking if it was rubbish I'd send it back for a refund but it's wonderful and I'll certainly be using after my surgery too. Best 90 quid I've spent in ages.
I'm on Morphine for the pain in ever increasing doses so anything that keeps that down is a bonus.

I've ordered one and if by any chance the swelling and pain start to abate before it arrives I guess I could always loan it out to friends whose knees are also on the blink.

You can always send it back.

These days you can self refer to your local Physio department. Not quite sure of the process, but initiallyIi would just ring them and ask.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Has anyone here had a knee arthroscopy and finding or found the recover period much harder than anticipated
LiltingLyrics; Yes and No! I don't think male knees are any different, other than some being larger than dainty female ones.
I've had 2 KTRs for over 10 years with no problems so far (touch wood).
For the first, the surgeon dived straight in with no prior arthroscopy; Excellent job and driving the car in 4 weeks (about that) after physios had finished with me.
18 months later same surgeon did an artho. on other knee, which I thought afterwards was a waste of time (and my money: his kids' school fees must have been due!) because he was soon at it again with another TKR. Another good job, similar to first and I was walking our dogs again within a few weeks.
Obviously I don't know what your specific knee problem is, but if it's "simple" loss of cartilage like mine, don't mess about having an arthro., go for a TKR.
Good Luck

I guess you went private Rufus2, for those of us using the Nhs it's not as simple as opting for one or the other, a lot depends on what you're offered if anything. Before my Arthroscopy I was unable to walk and using a wheelchair and still they hummed and ahhed about whether i could have the arthroscopy. In the end they proceeded on my right knee, that was over two years ago. I'm now having total knee replacements in both knees, starting with the left in a couple of months time. The right knee is still painful but is not as bad as the left, I have no cartilage left in my knees at all. When I attempt to stand, it's bone on bone and I want to scream in agony and my knees ain't dainty. Yes I'd go for the tkr given the choice but if there isn't that option other than paying then take the arthroscopy as some relief is better than no relief and I certainly couldn't have carried on with no relief at all for the past two years.

I wish all with knee conditions well. DS1 had had knee problems for quite sometime. No real conclusion from GP and scans. Referred to consultant who then postponed the appointment. He's totally lost faith in NHS and in any case is reluctant to be off work. What can you do? and I feel powerless to help.